Improvement in railways



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE S. WEAVER, OF FREEPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT I RAILWAVS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 106,434, dated August 16, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE S. WEAVER, of Freeport, in the county of Armstrong and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circular Switch-` Track for Railroads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactpdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which is a plan view of my improved switch, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a switch-track of a nearly circular shape, running from and returning to the main track, whereby a locomotive and tender may be reversed or turned, without other trouble than the adjustment of a switch.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and mode of operation.

a a represent the rails of the main track of a railroad, and b b the rails of a circular switchtrack, the two being connected by the switchrails a a.

As shown in the drawing, the circular switchtrack b not only runs from the main track a, but also returns to it in the reverse direction, so that a locomotive and tender may be run from the track a, around on the switch-track b,

and back again to the track a, the switch-rails a being shifted, as indicated by y,dotted lines. Thus the locomotive and tender will be turned or reversed without other trouble or diculty than the adjustment of a switch. Consequently the expense of turn-tables, usually employed for such purposes, is saved, as well as the time and labor of operating them.

The rails b may curve to any desirable radius, though, ofcourse, they should be of such curvature as not to be a source of material injury to the locomotive in turning the curve.

Such a turning-switch may, of course, be placed at any convenient point on the main track a, which track may continue on and cross the switch b.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A curved switch-track, b, running from and returning to the main track, for reversing or turning locomotives and tenders, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said HORACE S. WEAVER, have hereunto set my hand.

HORACE S. WEAVER. 

